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Castor oil

Updated: Wikipedia source

Castor oil

Castor oil is a vegetable oil pressed from castor beans, the seeds of the plant Ricinus communis. The seeds are 40 to 60 percent oil. It is a colourless or pale yellow liquid with a distinct taste and odor. Its boiling point is 313 °C (595 °F) and its density is 0 g/cm3. It includes a mixture of triglycerides in which about 90 percent of fatty acids are ricinoleates. Oleic acid and linoleic acid are the other significant components. Some 270,000–360,000 tonnes (600×10^6–790×10^6 lb) of castor oil are produced annually for a variety of uses, including soaps, lubricants, hydraulic and brake fluids, paints, dyes, coatings, inks, cold-resistant plastics, waxes and polishes, nylon, and perfumes.

Tables

Average composition of castor seed oil / fatty acids · Composition
Ricinoleic acid
Ricinoleic acid
Acid name
Ricinoleic acid
Range
85–95
Type
ω−9
Oleic acid
Oleic acid
Acid name
Oleic acid
Range
2–6
Type
ω−9
Linoleic acid
Linoleic acid
Acid name
Linoleic acid
Range
1–5
Type
ω−6
α-Linolenic acid
α-Linolenic acid
Acid name
α-Linolenic acid
Range
0 –1
Type
ω−3
Stearic acid
Stearic acid
Acid name
Stearic acid
Range
0 –1
Type
saturated
Palmitic acid
Palmitic acid
Acid name
Palmitic acid
Range
0 –1
Type
saturated
Dihydroxystearic acid
Dihydroxystearic acid
Acid name
Dihydroxystearic acid
Range
0 –0
Type
saturated
Others
Others
Acid name
Others
Range
0 –0
Acid name
Range
Type
Ricinoleic acid
85–95
ω−9
Oleic acid
2–6
ω−9
Linoleic acid
1–5
ω−6
α-Linolenic acid
0 –1
ω−3
Stearic acid
0 –1
saturated
Palmitic acid
0 –1
saturated
Dihydroxystearic acid
0 –0
saturated
Others
0 –0
Image
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